The magical, sexy night known as Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is quickly approaching, and with the thousand and one things that are constantly going on leading up to that night, it’s easy to get confused. There are gorgeous models, hundreds of stunning outfits, sweeping wings and a night of lights and beauty.
Speaking of lights, that’s where the VS Fashion Show is going to be this year. Leaving behind the well known venue of the Lexington Avenue Armory, the runway will be held in the City of Lights for the first time in its history. Where better to have what is possibly the most extravagant fashion show on Earth than in the capital of fashion itself? The actual show will be in the Grand Palais and will be on the largest scale, even by Victoria’s Secret standards. It’s a technical nightmare because the Grand Palais’s ceiling is made entirely of glass with steel supports running through the building. There are no load bearing points on the delicate ceiling so everything must be ground supported. It will be one of the biggest challenges the staff will have to conquer to give the infamous fashion show the same stunning appeal it always has.
Victoria’s Secret has never been shy about getting big name artists to come the runway to make their show what it is today. Past performers have included Usher, Kanye West, Justin Bieber and Ellie Goulding. Most infamously, perhaps, is Taylor Swift’s two appearances. Given that three members of her girl squad are or have been Victoria’s Secret Angels, it’s no wonder that her appearances all have a little something extra. It’s one thing to walk the runway, but to walk it with some of your best friends? Priceless. T-Swizzle isn’t making a three-peat, but Lady Gaga is making her debut appearance on the show, with Bruno Mars and the Weeknd returning both for the second time.
Everyone watches the show for one reason: to see what are perhaps the most stunning women on the planet do what they do best. If you’re a regular viewer or even a first timer, everyone has a favorite Angel. For those of you who are first timers, there are regular (though there isn’t really anything regular about the women selected for this fashion show) models, and then, there are Angels. Victoria’s Secret Angels are the brand's official ambassadors and are the one’s you always see in their breathtaking commercials, on their visual ads and any piece of paper you ever get from VS. They’re some of the most followed accounts on social media, and many consider becoming an Angel the highest you can go in the industry. There are 12 Angels in the line-up this year, with the most well-known being Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio and Lily Aldridge. Newer Angels are taking spotlights, however, so you might already be familiar with Martha Hunt, Stella Maxwell and Taylor Hill. Candice Swanepoel and Behati Prisloo, two of the more popular Angels, will both be out this year due to their new number one job: being moms! But who knows, there have been quick mom-comebacks before, maybe these will be, too? The other exciting names on the lineup are retired Angel Karlie Kloss, sisters Gigi and Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner. A personal invitation has been extended to Cara Develigne, but she’s yet to come out with a response to the request. If you aren’t familiar with the names and faces, it’s normally pretty easy to tell the difference between Angels and contracted models: the wings.
Oh, the wings. This is probably my favorite thing in the whole show. Every Angel that hits the runway has on the most extravagant wings in existence. After all, what’s an angel without wings? They range from big to small, white to black, and sparkly to matte. Months of work goes into the designs of the wings, and they’re undoubtedly some of the most incredible masterpieces to hit runways anywhere. Angels have repeatedly said that their favorite part of the show is the wings, and I’m definitely inclined to agree. Keep an eye out for the 16 pairs of wings that will appear throughout the show this year!
This year there are six different themes within the fashion show. The first is titled “The Road Ahead” and will be based on different cultures from around the globe. It’s about incorporating the multicultural society we’ve become and showing different fabrics, techniques and designs inspired by these cultures' heritages. “Secret Angel” is next in the lineup and will have a Casablanca, black-and-white movie vibe, and "Mountain Romance" has a more feminine design and draws from characters like Heidi. "Pink Nation" is an annual theme that showcases Victoria’s Secret loungewear and comfort pieces, typically what you see girls wearing in class and around campus. "Dark Angel" is exactly as its name describes and will bring almost a gothic feel to the show. The night is rounded out with “Bright Night Angel”. It’s the design of the “Beautiful” bra line, which is the inspiration behind this year’s Fantasy Bra.
Speaking of the Fantasy Bra, could you imaging wearing a $3 million bra? Because that’s what Angel Jasmine Tookes will be doing this year. The 2016 Bright Night Fantasy Bra was designed by Eddie Borgo and handcrafted by A W Mouzannar. 9,000 gemstones, 450 carats and 700 hours later, you get one of the most opulent bras in existence. Granted, this is small on VS standards. Their most expensive Fantasy Bra that was walked on the runway was worth 12.5 million dollars in 2005 by Gisele Bündchen. It was called the Sexy Splendor Fantasy Bra and was looked worth the 12.5 million it was.
Clear out your schedule for Monday, December 5 at 10/9 CST on CBS for an evening of glamour and beauty. Grab your girlfriends and your highest heels so you can pretend to walk the runway along with the Angels. The most-viewed fashion show in history is right around the corner, and you don’t want to miss it.
